Broadsides Printed Quickly and Posted Throughout a Town

Home , Lewis Morris

MAKING THE REVOLUTION: AMERICA, 1763-1791 PRIMARY SOURCE COLLECTION __BROADSIDE NEWS__ of the American Revolution * Wartime news based on “fresh intelligence” was spread through one-page broadsides printed quickly and posted throughout a town.

1776. News: British evacuation of Boston, March 17. Content: Letter dated March 21 from Boston resident to a resident of (probably) New York City. As reported from: Boston, Massachusetts. As reported (printed) in: New York City, New York (?).

1777. News: Repulsion of British at Saratoga, Oct. 6. Content: Letter dated Oct. 9 from Gen. John Glover, near Stillwater, New York, to Gen. William Heath, Boston. As reported from: Boston, October 13. As reported (printed) in: Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

1777. News: Repulsion of British attacks on New Jersey forts near Philadelphia, Oct. 23. Content: Three letters dated Oct. 23 from officers in Red Bank, New Jersey, to Gen. Washington. As reported from: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by order of the Continental Congress (printed in Lancaster, Penn.)

1779. News: Battle of Stono Ferry, S.C., June 20. Content: News from a man “this moment arrived” in Providence

(perhaps June 21), as heard in Philadelphia from a man newly arrived from South Carolina; confirmed by Boston men who heard news from another S.C. man. As reported from: Providence, Rhode Island, June 21 (?), 4pm. As reported (printed) in: Worcester, Massachusetts, June 21.

1780. News: American repulsion of British attack during siege of Charleston, S.C., April 25. Content: Letter (excerpt) dated May 10 from Edenton, N.C., postmaster reporting news “from very good Authority.” As reported from: Edenton, North Carolina, May 10. As reported (printed) in: Baltimore, Maryland, May 20.

1781. News: British retreat after defeat in Battle of Guilford Courthouse, N.C., March 15. Content: Letter (excerpt), dated March 23, from Major Gen. Nathanael Greene, Buffalo Creek, N.C. As reported from: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, April 7. As reported (printed) in: Boston, Massachusetts.

1783. News: Preliminary peace treaty signed in Paris, January 21. Content: Report from French warship that arrived in Philadelphia Feb. 23 from Cadiz, Spain, after “a passage of 32 days.” As reported from: –New York City, March 26, via “an express from New Jersey” –Philadelphia, March 24, via a news broadside brought to New York by Lewis Morris –Worcester, Mass., April 1, 5pm, via a man delivering New York broadside of letter from president of the Continental Congress (n.d.)

As reported (printed) in: Worcester, Massachusetts.

* ® Copyright © National Humanities Center, 2010/2013. AMERICA IN CLASS : americainclass.org/. Images identified through Early American Imprints, American Antiquarian Society with Readex/NewsBank, No. 14763, 43383, 43402, 19418, 16702, 17391, 44389; black-and-white digital images from EAI; color images from the individual repositories. Broadsides have been cropped to printed portion (except for the 1780 Baltimore announcement).

Cambridge

of of Library the Congress Courtesy

: town : near Boston.

. .

Instant

: of : this

month.

Ministerialists

: :

British.

Provincials

Britishevacuation of Boston, March 17,1776. Broadsideprinted

: : AmericanLoyalists.

Fabiandelay

: wearing : down theopponent.

inNew City.York

lifax,Nova Scotia.

Light text, above: On Friday the [town] crier was sent about to order It is reported that Manly has taken a ship laden with all the inhabitants not to stir out of their houses till evening, while they Scotch Tories [Loyalists], and their property.

National Humanities Center  Broadside News from the American Revolution, 1776-1783 2

of of Library the Congress Courtesy

. .

Repulsion of of Repulsion

British at Saratoga, N Saratoga, at British

ult.:

ew York, York, ew

oflast month, i.e., Sept.29.

ctober 6, 1777. Broadside printed Broadside 6, 1777. ctober

Strong Works:

Portsmouth, NewHampshire. Portsmouth,

fortifiedearthworks.

National Humanities Center  Broadside News from the American Revolution, 1776-1783 3

Repulsion of British British of Repulsion

Officers’letters from Red Bank,New toJersey, General Washington.

attacks on on attacks

New Jersey near Philadelphia, October 23, 1777. Broadside printed in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, by order of the Continental Co Continental the of order by Pennsylvania, Lancaster, in printed Broadside 1777. 23, October Philadelphia, near Jersey New

Fourbattalions of Germans

: Hessian : troopshired to fightfor Britain.

ngress.

Reproduced by permission of the John Carter Brown Library, Brown University.

National Humanities Center  Broadside News from the American Revolution, 1776-1783 4

eproduced by permission permission by the eproduced of

AmericanAntiquarian Society.

Battleof Stono Ferry, South Carolina, June 20, 1779.Broadside

Providence,Rhode Island.

Viz.

: namely. :

George Bryan

:lieutenant governorPennsylvania. of

printed in Massachusetts.Worcester,

The battle ended with no clear victory for either side, although the British succeeded in resisting the American attack, which had to be called off due to low ammunition. Of about 1200 American troops, about 30 were killed, 115 wounded, and 155 were reported missing. Of 900 British troops, about 30 were killed, 100 wounded, and an unknown number missing. (Statistics vary.)

National Humanities Center  Broadside News from the American Revolution, 1776-1783 5

Reproduced by by Reproduced

permission permission Maryland the of Historical Societ

Instan

: of this month. thismonth. of :

On May 8, shortly Mayshortly 8, On

after the failed British assault on Fort Moultrie in Charleston harbor, the British captured the fort. On May 12, Charleston Charleston 12, May On fort. the captured British the harbor, Charleston Moultriein Fort on assault British failed the after

American repulsion of British attack during siege of Charlest siege during attack of British repulsion American

on, S.C., April 25, 1780. Broadside printed in Baltimore, Maryland. Maryland. Baltimore, in printed Broadside 1780. 25, April S.C., on, fell to the British. the to fell

National Humanities Center  Broadside News from the American Revolution, 1776-1783 6

Courtesy of of Library. New the Courtesy Public York

Buffalo Creek, N.C Creek, Buffalo

. Instant .

British retreat after defeat in the Battle of Guilford Courthouse, N.C., March 15, 1781. Broadside printed in Boston, Massa in Boston, printed Broadside 1781. 15, March N.C., Courthouse, Guilford of Battle in the defeat after retreat British

: of this month. month. this : of

Gauled

: rubbed sore, damaged. damaged. sore, rubbed :

Stores:

provisions. Published by order of the Continental Congress. Continental of the order by Published provisions.

chusetts. chusetts.

National Humanities Center  Broadside News from the American Revolution, 1776-1783 7

Reproduced by permission permission American by Antiquarian the Society. Reproduced of

Express

: mail delivery, delivery, : mail

usually by stagecoach. by usually

Count d’ Count

Estaing Estaing

Cadiz, Spain Cadiz,

and and

Marquis de la Fayette dela Marquis

Lewis Morri Lewis

Preliminary peace treaty signed in Paris, January 21, 1783. Broadside printed in Worcester, Massachusetts. in Worcester, printed Broadside 1783. 21, January Paris, in signed treaty peace Preliminary

: delegate to the Continental Congress from New York. York. New from Congress Continental the to delegate :

: French officers leading American troops. troops. American leading officers : French

Stage

: : stagecoach

Printed paper Printed

Laus Deo Laus : broadside.

: Praise be to God [Latin]. God to be : Praise

Instant:

of this month. of this

National Humanities Center  Broadside News from the American Revolution, 1776-1783 8